Social Security Disability

[yankee87]

If not allowed, I'll delete.

Since this group is about Chronic health conditions, did anyone apply for SSDI?

I've been turned down twice and now will go before a judge. Has anyone done this? Also, I'm doing this with a jaw firm.

Any information on process will be helpful.

Thanks in advance.

[TexasBushwhacker]

1. Yes, almost everyone I've known was turned down once or twice n/t

[viva la]

2. That is infuriating-- but I've heard it too.

It's like they're trying to make it hard on people who seriously need something to go easy for once.

[Rebl2]

14. Seems like that happened

soon after Reagan got in office. I had a friend that had pretty bad diabetes (we were in our early twenties by the way). She tried several times (after Reagan was in) and was turned down every time. I applied in 1979 before Reagan was in office and got it first time. Guess my rheumatologist gave them detailed documentation.

[TexasBushwhacker]

15. Everyone I've known who got approved had an attorney

Their forms don't help and really don't ask the right questions for what they are looking for.

The latest thing, during the Trump administration, is that they started unapproving people, cutting them off and asking for money to be paid back. I have a friend who has fibromyalgia and chronic migraines. She had been approved for a couple of years when I met her in 2012. She had already been through a couple of periodic reviews and reapproved. Then in 2020, she got a letter that she had been disapproved and owed them $134K in overpayments! She now lives with her ex-motherinlaw and receives some financial assistance from her daughter.

[Rebl2]

16. Yikes!

Have never heard of that happening. I know ever few years you have to fill out a survey and let them know if your condition as improved. I have filled those out several times, and once I had to see one of the SS doctors. Never would have thought you would have to pay money back. I would be broke for sure.

[TexasBushwhacker]

17. The thing that's crazy

is that she used to be a branch manager at a bank, making 6 figures. Why would she want to give that up to live on $2K a month SSDI? She's tried to return to work several and she just CAN'T. It's just so unfair.

[questionseverything]

3. The only folks I ever knew that got it on first try were cancer victims

That didn’t live a year after

Everyone else took 3 trys

Good luck 🍀

[Lifeafter70]

21. Yep

My son who has Adnoeid Cyistic Carcinoma was approved right after his first two surgeries. He has to recertify ever 7 years. They have a list of diagnosis that qualify. His surgeon at Keck was very helpful in getting him qualified. He has had two types of radiation since then to stop the progression at his skull base.

[questionseverything]

22. I hope for a miracle for him

💔

[Lifeafter70]

23. Thanks

The kas round if radiation has kept it from progressing further

[walkingman]

4. This will probably be shocking....I know about 10+ people that have gotten SSDI

in the last 10 years. Everyone one of them, without exception, are not disabled. They were denied several times, got lawyers, and eventually were granted disability.

They are not bad people but they knew they could work for cash (most were in to 57-60 age bracket) and use the system to get their FRA SS and Medicare/ or Medicaid so it was worth the effort.

Repeat they are not and were not disabled. Most of them refused to get healthcare prior, hid their income and hadn't paid FICA for many years....basically abused a program that was designed to help people who could not help themselves. It is wrong and is part of the problem we have these days.

They also are all MAGA folks who obviously think the world owes them something while they force responsible people to pay their bills, their healthcare, etc. and cause the people that really need help to have to jump through hoops to get the help the program for which the program was designed.

I have no sympathy for these folks. They are part of the reason that our social services are under so much stress and people tend to have little empathy.

Maybe this is a Texas thing but I doubt it?

So you want to take advantage of social programs that were implemented by Dems and them bad mouth and vote for the party that would do nothing for you?

I am not against SSDI for people that need it. And yes I know that the greedy bastards get there crap but two wrongs do not make a right.

[drray23]

6. how do you know they are not disabled ?

Just because they dont limp, use a wheelchair, carry an oxygen tank etc... does not mean they aren't disabled.
Many conditions are not visible at first.

For example somebody with MS may look perfectly normal one day and be hit with disabling pain another day. If you see that person out walking on one of their good days you would not know it .

[walkingman]

8. Because they are my friends and neighbors. They didn't hide their efforts from me. I live

in rural Central Texas (closest city being Austin), it is a mostly ranching community. Many are land rich (own several hundred acres) and income poor. They are hard working people and they are not dumb. They know how the system works because it has been done in the area for decades.

Like I said - I am not anti-SSDI but I do think it is an abused system. I also know that most businesses get breaks and ranchers are buried only 2 foot deep so they can stick their hand out for a government check.

Most working people get a paycheck, have their taxes taken out automatically, and many are too proud to even ask for help even if they are entitled.

The reason that it is so hard to qualify these days is because there is so much deceit in the system.

[TexasBushwhacker]

10. You are correct

Just because someone can get around sometimes, doesn't mean they can maintain gainful employment. I have a friend with fibromyalgia and chronic migraines. Looking at her, you would think she was fine, but about 75% of the time she is in profound pain. She. was a bank manager, and made good money. But then the fibro started and she simply could not work. It took her quite some time to get approved and she gas binders full of documentations. She received SSDI for about 5 years, and then during the Trump administration they decided to cut her off. Not only is she not receiving SSDI, they say she has to pay back $100K! She lives with her ex-MIL now and her daughter helps support her. IT'S SO UNFAIR!!!

[Meadowoak]

5. I got it 1st try. I was 57, had put in to the system 40 yrs. Too old

To re train. Chronic back problems and had suffered a mild stroke.

[slightlv]

7. I tried. Didn't get it. Knew I wouldn't get; Hubby insisted I try.

I have chronic back problems. Lupus and fibromyalgia. The "doc" had me walk across the 8' room. Because I could do that, he disallowed it. Honest. I gave up after that. I didn't have the money for lawyers. So, here I sit... at home. On early social security.

[CountAllVotes]

19. You do not pay lawyers!

On an SSDI case they get a cut of the final payout.

It is limited to what you receive in back pay. It is called a contingency agreement which you sign with the lawyer when you retain them. Mine got $2,000.00 and it was worth every single cent! Without him, I may have never received anything!

If the lawyer doesn't get it for you, they get nothing.

Again, you do NOT pay lawyers anything on an SSDI case.

I'm glad you are on SSA now in any event.

[mahina]

9. Agreed with poster above everybody takes at least two tries and sometimes more

Nowadays they turn everybody down the first time and it is a very cruel system. You’re to live without income for two years or so because you’re supposed to not be able to work.
I’ve never done it but I’ve known people who did and it was a really rough road. This system sucks. Good luck. Your lawyers are on your side, try to help them out with the paperwork and even tell him thanks every now and again it goes pretty far

[yankee87]

11. Thank you

I want to thank everyone for their feedback. Just feeling down. Worked 50 years, had 4 spinal operations, can't walk without using a walker and in constant pain. Being turned down twice is disheartening.

[womanofthehills]

12. Don't ever stop trying so you get the money from when you first applied

I had severe MCS yrs ago and the first judge denied me saying I could work at a place where i was suited up like Intel or be a fire watchers up in the mountains- let alone smoke would close up my throat. . Second judge got it and gave it to me. They also sent me to a clinic that was being renovated and tried to tell me I was ok, because I was able to wait in the clinic. I told them the clinic made me sick so I waited in my car. They can be really mean.

[timms139]

13. If you're 62 sign up for regular and

continue your case for disability so you will have income while getting through the system .

[CountAllVotes]

18. I applied after getting a DX of multiple sclerosis

It was a long time ago but I had a lawyer lined up to handle things if I was denied.

I was denied and was supposed to go see some doctor 300 miles away.

I got very sick with the MS and was bedridden, blind and in a wheelchair.

I got a hold of the lawyer I had retained and he was able to make some calls to someone he knew at the Social Security office in San Francisco.

When they were told I was too sick to go anywhere, much less to an appt. 300 miles away they reversed their initial denial of my application for SSDI and it was approved.

I've been on it since and I will no longer me on SSDI in a few days as I'll reach full retirement age which for me is 66 years and 4 months!

Yippee! The word "disability" will no longer be in my source of income any longer!

I hope you have a lawyer to handle this for you.

If I hadn't had one, I doubt what happened to me would have been the same.

I strongly advocate that everyone applying for SSDI have a lawyer lined up. You may end up like I was, too sick to pursue it.

[Goddessartist]

20. I have vEDS, had a brain aneurysm, then a heart attack

and had applied earlier as hospitalized for suicidal thoughts, constant pain, and have been turned down twice. It's on appeal, but I'm not hopeful. I have double vision, etc.

Am under the care of a psychiatrist, and excellent doctors, though it took a while to get them. Male doctors dismiss female patients' input. In my case, I was right every time and they were wrong.

Anyway keep trying. Make sure they know all of your medications, what your daily life is like. Be really clear.

Good luck!

Rebecca